Warner Bros. Will Make A Bunch Of Animated Dr. Seuss Films, Starting With ‘Cat In The Hat’

Warner Animation Group (WAG), the feature animation arm of Warner Bros. Pictures, has formed a creative partnership with Dr. Seuss Enterprises, to produce multiple feature films based on Dr. Seuss children’s book characters.

The first project that will be developed under the partnership is a fully-animated version of The Cat in the Hat.

“With Warner Animation Group, we’ve really revitalized our feature animation activities,” Toby Emmerich, chairman, Warner Bros. Pictures Group, said in a press statement. “This partnership with Dr. Seuss Enterprises will continue our move into world-class, wide-appeal animated fare.”

Allison Abbate, the animation division’s newly-promoted executive vice president, will oversee the Dr. Seuss projects.

“I could not be more excited about the opportunity to work on films based on Dr. Seuss’ wildly creative and iconic works,” said Abbate. “Everybody knows and loves these characters, and the fun part of making these films will be staying true to the Seuss sensibilities while finding a dynamic cinematic expression of their beloved stories. We can’t wait to get started.”

WAG is currently in the process of finding writers, producers, and directors for the Seuss projects. The studio’s announced upcoming titles are Smallfoot (releasing September 28, 2018), The Lego Movie Sequel (February 8, 2019), and S.C.O.O.B. (May 15, 2020).

Universal Pictures previously had the rights to Dr. Seuss IP, and in 2003 it released a live-action version of Cat in the Hat starring Mike Myers (pictured above). The studio also made a live-action version of Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas starring Jim Carrey, which it released in 2000, and it is again adapting the same Christmas story as an all-animated film, which it will release this November. The animated version is being produced by Despicable Me maker Illumination Entertainment.